System and method for weighing and tracking freight

Abstract

In a freight shipment system and method, the lift trucks used by the freight carrier for handling and loading freight shipments are equipped with a weighing device capable of weighing each piece of freight handled by the lift truck. The lift truck operator also has a scanner for scanning coded identification information associated with each piece of freight. As each piece of freight is handled by the lift truck, the coded identification information for that piece of freight is captured along with the weight of the load. This information is transmitted to a computer system where it can be used for real-time invoicing. The system can also obtain dimensional information about the volume of the piece of freight.

1 . A system for weighing and tracking freight comprising: 
 identification information associated with each of a plurality of pieces of freight, the identification information being adapted to follow the piece of freight as it is transported by a freight carrier from an origin to a destination;    a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight;    a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the freight;    a scanner accessible to an operator of the lift truck for scanning the identification information associated with the piece of freight;    a base computer cooperating with the scanner for receiving the identification information for the piece of freight and cooperating with the weighing device for receiving the weight of the piece of freight; and    a database associated with said base computer for receiving and storing the weight data and identification information for the freight.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the identification information is a barcode affixed to the piece of freight.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the identification information is an RFID tag affixed to the piece of freight.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , including a handheld device accessible to the operator of the lift truck, and wherein said scanner is mounted in said handheld device, the handheld device communicating with said weighing device for receiving weight data obtained for a piece of freight, and said handheld device including a wireless transmitter communicatively connected to the weighing device and to the scanner and operable for transmitting weight data and identification information obtained for the piece of freight to a receiving site.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said handheld device additionally includes a camera for capturing a digital photograph of the piece of freight, and wherein said wireless transmitter is also communicatively connected to the camera for transmitting digital photographic data for the piece of freight to a receiving site.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , additionally including an image scanner configured for scanning a piece of freight held by said lift truck and for obtaining dimensional data for the piece of freight.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said database includes means for storing the dimensional data for the piece of freight in addition to the weight data and identification information for the freight.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , including an invoicing module operable for generating customer invoices based upon the weight data and identifying information obtained by said lift truck and the dimensional data.  
   
   
       9 . A system for weighing and tracking freight comprising: 
 a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight;    a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the freight;    a scanner accessible to an operator of the lift truck for scanning the identifying information associated with the piece of freight;    an image scanner configured for scanning a piece of freight held by said lift truck and for obtaining dimensional data for the piece of freight;    a base computer cooperating with the scanner for receiving the identifying information for the piece of freight, cooperating with the weighing device for receiving the weight of the piece of freight, and cooperating with the image scanner for receiving dimensional data for the piece of freight; and    a database associated with said base computer for receiving and storing the weight data, the identifying information and the dimensional data for the freight.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , additionally including a camera for capturing a digital photograph of the piece of freight, and wherein said database is also operable for storing digital photographic data for the piece of freight.  
   
   
       11 . A system for weighing and tracking freight comprising: 
 identification information associated with each of a plurality of pieces of freight, the identification information being intended to follow the piece of freight as it is transported by a freight carrier from an origin to a destination;    a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight;    a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the freight;    a handheld device accessible to an operator of the lift truck, the handheld device being communicatively connected to the weighing device for receiving weight data for the piece of freight, and the handheld device including a scanner for scanning the identification information associated with the piece of freight;    a base computer cooperating with the scanner for receiving the identification information for the piece of freight and cooperating with the weighing device for receiving the weight of the piece of freight; and    a database associated with said base computer for receiving and storing the weight data and identification information for the freight.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , including a wireless transmitter for transmitting weight data and identification information obtained for the piece of freight to a receiving site.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , including a memory device in the handheld device for receiving and storing weight data and identification information for pieces of freight handed by the lift truck, and means for transferring the stored weight data and identification information from the memory device in the handheld device to said database.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said means for transfer comprises a docking station communicatively connected to said base computer and adapted to be connected to the handheld device for downloading the stored data from the memory device.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , including a display in the handheld device for communicating information to the driver of the lift truck.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , including an unloading module cooperating with the handheld device and operable for displaying to the driver of the lift truck a location where the piece of freight should be unloaded.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , including a bar code printer associated with the handheld device and operable for producing a label containing the identification information.  
   
   
       18 . A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising: 
 equipping a lift truck with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck;    scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck;    using the weighting device to obtain weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck;    obtaining dimensional data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck; and    storing the thus obtained weight data, dimensional data and identifying information for the piece of freight.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of scanning coded identifying information comprises scanning a barcode on a label associated with the piece of freight.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of scanning coded identifying information comprises scanning the barcode using a handheld scanning device.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , including wirelessly transmitting the weight data, dimensional data and identifying information for the piece of freight from the handheld device to a receiving site and storing the data.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , including storing the weight data, dimensional data and identifying information for the piece of freight in a memory device in the handheld device and transferring the stored weight data, dimensional data and identifying information from the memory device in the handheld device to a database.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , additionally including capturing a digital photograph of the piece of freight, and also storing digital photographic data for the piece of freight.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of obtaining dimensional data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck comprises passing the freight through the field of view of an image scanner and obtaining a three-dimensional scan the piece of freight from which the cubic volume of the freight can be determined.  
   
   
       25 . A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising: 
 equipping a lift truck with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck;    providing the operator of the lift truck with a wireless handheld scanning device;    scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight with the wireless handheld scanning device in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck;    using the weighting device to obtain weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck; and    wirelessly transmitting the identifying information and the weight data to a remote receiving site.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , including displaying on the display of the handheld device a location where the piece of freight should be unloaded.